The purpose of the Forum is to foster collaboration among Federal agencies that produce or use statistical data on the older population. Specifically, the Forum seeks to improve both the quality and use of data on the aging population by investigating questions of data quality, data measurement, and data integration;identifying information gaps and data inconsistencies;widening access to information on the aging population through periodic publications and other means;coordinating the development and use of statistical data bases among Federal agencies;promoting communication among data producers, researchers, and public policymakers;and addressing concerns regarding collection, access, and dissemination of data.